Categories

All Systems Go! How to Choose Software to Streamline Your Company Processes

Choosing the proper business software to run your company smoothly is one of the most important decisions you can make for your business, especially when it comes to saving money and running your company as efficiently as possible.

Using the right software can mean the difference between your company hemorrhaging money and making a healthy profit. The wrong software can lead to lost revenue, as well as additional time spent trying to make your software work.

If you need tips and tricks on just how to choose the right software for your business, read this simple and easy guide. You could just end up saving your company a ton of money and a headache!

Know and Understand Your Software Needs

According to Vistage.com, one of the biggest mistakes a business can make when it comes to evaluating and choosing the proper software for their company needs is not knowing what their software needs are.

Make sure that you take plenty of time to look at your current company and office environment to determine if there are any holes that new software can fill. Are there any processes that could be made more quick and efficient by software and end up saving your employees time and your business money? Are there ways that you could use software to increase productivity and, in turn, profits?

Take time upfront to determine what your software needs are, so that you don’t end up wasting a large amount of time on the back end fixing your wrong software choices. For example, do you need a video communications system to support a company with remote employees? If you need software to hold online video meetings with employees who live across the country, consider using an application like Blue Jeans to support your needs.

An additional factor to consider is whether your business will end up outgrowing the software you are choosing. Do you anticipate tripling or quadrupling your number of employees within the next five years? Will you have different needs within the next five years that will require different software? If so, it probably makes sense to invest in software that will grow and adapt with your evolving company. You could end up saving your business a lot of money in the long run if you choose the right software upfront, rather than having to reinvest in new software within a few years.

Don’t Forget About Security

Many large businesses have made headlines recently for data breaches. Don’t fall prey to the same breaches due to lack of security. Instead, make sure to invest in the proper security software upfront to protect your information from competitors and hackers.

More data is being stored in the cloud, which makes it easier for hackers to access private customer information like passwords and other data. Make sure that all of the software applications you are investing in have reputations for security.

Ask the right questions to determine what kinds of security options the software you are choosing includes. For example, does the software application encrypt stored data, so that it is more difficult for hackers to access? What kind of encryption is included in the software security options? Asking these questions upfront can end up saving your company’s reputation for customer information security and, in turn, increase your profits in the long term.

Evaluate Your Software Vendors

In addition to evaluating the software itself and its security options, it is crucial to know and understand the software vendors themselves, according to CIO. The companies that manage your business software are just as important as the software itself when it comes to choosing the right applications. For example, how long has the software vendor been in business? Does the software vendor’s executive team include industry leaders? How large is the vendor?

What are their business values and do they align with your company’s core values? What are their long term goals? If the software company you are choosing anticipates getting acquired by a larger company, will the software you are choosing change once the buyer takes over? It is probably best to choose a software vendor that is interested in building and maintaining a consistent brand, so that your software maintains consistency and you don’t have to worry about reinvesting in new software to meet your needs in a few years.

It is essential to weigh your software options and make sure that the software you are choosing meets your business’ needs, protects your customers’ data and will adapt to the needs of your growing company down the line. When you choose the right software to streamline your business processes upfront, you end up saving money, increasing productivity, increasing profits and running a smoother operation in the long run.